Those Who Fight Monsters
by golden-eyed-guardian
Summary: Everyone knows the story of Ralph, the villain who proved you don't have to be programmed as a hero to be one. This story isn't about him. This is the story of PVT Raven Hawthorne of Hero's Duty, and of the one day that everything in her life changed...(This is my first try at writing and yes it is an OC fic. Enjoy.)
1. Prologue

Everyone knows the story of Wreck-It Ralph. Of how his journey to become a hero nearly destroyed three games, but also helped a stoic soldier and kind-hearted handyman find love, helped a young girl find her true place in the world, and helped an arcade see that bad guys aren't "bad guys". He showed that you don't have to be programmed as the hero to be kind, to want to protect the people you care about, even at the cost of your own life…but this isn't the story of Ralph. No, this is a tale of a far less known character; this is the story of Special Class Private Raven Hawthorne of Hero's Duty and how one twist of fate changed her whole life…

PVT Raven Hawthorne of Hero's Duty wasn't a known character. It was her job to stay out of sight and provide tactical military assistance. The shot that took out a cybug a little too close to the player? That was her. Once designed to be the player's avatar, she was reprogrammed to be the "behind-the-scenes" assistance for when things get a little too hectic; basically a guardian angel. After the cybug scare that nearly cost the arcade a game, Raven became part of a special task force that occasionally checked into Sugar Rush for possible surviving cybugs. It is during one of these sweeps that our story begins...


	2. Just A Routine Sweep

_2.5 Months after the fall of Turbo_

JAN. 17, 2013: PVT Hawthorne, PVT Markowski, PVT Sanchez assigned to routine sweep of Sugar Rush.

Group is confirmed to have cleared Sectors: 1-6.

Sector 7 awaiting confirmation…

So far this sweep had been uneventful. Aside from coming across a few lollipop lions in the candy grass plains, the excitement of this mission was nonexistent. Sanchez was getting restless and it was starting to take its toll on Raven's patience. If he knew these sweeps were boring why the hell had he offered to tag along? Normally it was just her and Markowski, and he was only there because the Sarge found Cybug Sweeps to be a fitting punishment for his role in the near destruction of Sugar Rush.

"**Alright! Last Sector! I'll be glad to get out of this diabetic dreamland**!" Sanchez whooped out, shifting his rifle to rest on his shoulder in a lax position. While not as outgoing with his response as his fellow marine, Markowski expressed his similar opinion with a deep sigh of relief.

"**Keep it down you two. I know this isn't exactly a glamorous job, but that doesn't mean you can slack off. Save the celebrating for Tappers." **Raven snapped back at them before returning her attention to the landscape before her; Jello Jungle, a beginner's racing course resplendent with red vine covered candy trees and large mounds of gelatin that were its namesake.

"**You need to relax Hawthorne! Sarge's paranoia is starting to rub off on ya. We've been doing patrols in this game ever since the whole Wreck-It Ralph incident and not once have we seen a single cybug! Face it, nothing is here!" **Sanchez huffed out in annoyance. He and Raven had rarely seen eye to eye, his stubbornness often butting heads with her own and leading to many an argument. The fact that Calhoun had made the woman head of the task force didn't earn her any points in his favor. Just another reason why she didn't understand his sudden offer to volunteer for the sweep, however things had been quiet as of late and the marine had been growing more and more restless. The soldiers of Hero's Duty were programmed to be warriors, to yearn for the fight; so when the fight was won all that energy grew turbulent, which resulted in Sanchez's current mood.

"**Whether or not we actually find anything, we still have a job to do. It's our duty to make sure the citizens of this game stay safe. So quit your bellyaching Sanchez and keep an eye out!" **The ends of Raven's patience were beginning to fray and Sanchez's attitude was the last thing she needed. Stalking further into the sweet-filled setting, Raven almost didn't catch his last comment...and part of her wished she hadn't.

"**Don't know why the programmers gave her job to a bot, she's practically one already...then again sometimes I think the damn screen displays more feeling." **The irate soldier quietly hissed out to Markowski, his brown eyes full of malice glaring in her direction. Knowing better than to take sides, Markowski smartly kept his mouth shut, though his own earthy orbs hardened at the comment and his mouth set into a hard line.

Despite her standoffish nature he knew that Raven did indeed have emotions, even if she didn't show them in a way recognizable to most. Their late night poker games and occasional visits to Tappers had shown him that a heart did beat under that thick physical and emotional armor she wore at all times. It was Raven that had found him in Tappers the night of the "incident", had helped him back to their game, and she had never told a soul of the state he was found in. Since then they had developed an odd sort of friendship, something more than the camaraderie shared by all the marines, and because of it Markowski didn't think twice of the odd look he received from Sanchez as he moved to follow his commanding officer into the brush.

With no choice but to follow, Sanchez rolled his eyes and stormed after his team with a scowl on his face. Too caught up in his own thoughts, he didn't even realize the group had stopped until he smacked into Markowski's back, almost knocking him over.

"**Why the hell did you sto-" **His rant was cut short when Raven signaled for him to keep quiet and then crouched low behind a chocolate boulder. Realizing this was a serious matter he quickly complied and crouched as well, readying his assault rifle and coming to crouch next to her. Markowski stood a bit away from them behind a large candy tree, his heavy cannon gripped tightly.

"**What is it?" **The marine asks Raven in a hushed tone, taking note of her readied rifle and the death grip she holds it with. He knows what it is, the one thing that could force aside all other feelings or thoughts...But she answers him anyway...

"**Cybugs."**


End file.
